Iwokrama team shot at after finding preparations for illegal mining
-says miners taking advantage of COVID-19 restrictions
Saying that a monitoring team recently came under gunfire from miners, the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development yesterday announced a reward for information that leads to the arrest and successful prosecution of persons engaged in illegal activities in the protected forest, while warning that perpetrators will face the full force of the law.
In a statement, the Centre said it believes that continued intrusions of illegal mining operations, not only in the Iwokrama protected forest, but also in the one kilometer buffer zone on the other side of the Siparuni River, are due to the perpetrators “taking advantage of the current restrictions and lockdown protocols established to combat the COVID – 19 virus.”
The Centre, which recently said it had already imposed penalties on one tourism operator and a gold miner was placed before the courts, explained that its staffers along with full support from Ministry of Natural Resources Wardens and the Guyana Police Force witnessed more intrusions of illegal mining operations in the forest and buffer zone in the week of October 16, 2020.
It noted that in September, 2019, a miner was arrested for illegal mining in the Iwokrama forest and was placed before the courts. In May 2020, it added, two ‘ four inch’ dredges were found, although no one was apprehended. “Last week, the team noted even more significant damage and clear indications of preparations for further mining in the forest. The team also noted the burning of large trees, no doubt to aid in felling to enhance mining activity,” it said. “Due to the unexpected nature of the operation the team found itself targetted by gunfire from miners who quickly scampered away into the forest. One arrest was made and the person is before the courts.”
According to the Centre, miners in the buffer zone have claimed, as they often do, that they did not realise that they were in the one kilometre buffer zone and that they received approval to be there following a deal with a miner that had claim at the location.. “In this case there was an
excavator and small dredges working the area,” the Centre said, while adding that they were given two days to remove from the area as there is absolutely no mining allowed in the zone.
“Iwokrama has spent enough time and resources on education and awareness with regard to these illegal activities, As such, Iwokrama Management is continuing its zero-tolerance approach to these activities, especially gold mining and other illegal activities,” it further said, while adding that with recent support, including the acquisition of the high-tech drone, monitoring and enforcement operations will be scaled up, while the Minister of Natural Resources and the Guyana Police Force have given their full support towards stamping out illegal activities.
Additionally, the Centre mentioned that its team also noted that there were several persons fishing in the buffer zone of the Iwokrama Forest, with some claiming to be engaging in sport fishing, although large seines were encountered within waterways in the protected area. “In this regard, Iwokrama would like to remind
fisherfolk that the protected area buffer also applies to them and commercial fishing is prohibited in the buffer zone as well,” the Centre added.
The Centre added that its monitoring team, along with regulatory institutions that include the Ministry of Natural Resources Warden Corps, the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Guyana Wildlife Management and Conservation Com-mission, the Fisheries Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, will continue to undertake regular monitoring and enforcement activities within the environs of forest and will also be rigidly enforcing the prescribed penalties under the Iwokrama Act and other laws of Guyana to any person(s) found illegally operating there.
Under the Iwokrama Act, no mining, forestry or other resources utilisation activity shall be carried out on the site by any person other than the Centre, except with the prior written permission of the Centre, while no lease of land or permission to use land in the site shall be issued by any person other than the Centre, and
all activities on the site shall be in accordance with regulations prescribed therefor under the law. Additionally, the law states that any person who contravenes these provisions “shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of one hundred thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a period of one year, and where the offence is of a continuing nature, to a further fine not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars for each day during which the offence continues after conviction.”
Although no amount was listed, the Centre said it is offering a reward for any information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of persons(s) involved in illegal activities in the forest. “The Centre will also be following up on information it received on specific mining operators within the Iwokrama Forest. Any convictions will be fully publicized,” it added, while noting that reports of illegal activities can be made to the Centre’s Director of Resource Management Dr Raquel Thomas at rthomas@iwokrama.org.
Around a million acres of forest in central Guyana was set aside in 1989 for sustainable forestry studies by Iwokrama.